What Went Down At The CNN Democratic Debate

Sanders says that banning fracking would lead to some job loss now but that the U.S. could help put them to work in other areas. That’s pretty much the argument center-left Democrats have long made about trade — it will hurt some people now but is worth the sacrifice because of its longer-run benefits. (Some recent research, however, has suggested the downsides are bigger than once believed.)

It’s honestly a bit hard for me to tell, since I’d imagine it’s been a mixed emotional bag for the undecided New York Democrat watching tonight: Sanders faltered a bit again on the details of his plan to break up the banks, hit Clinton well on her refusal to release her Wall Street speeches, but then looked a bit cowed when gun control came up — his stance is far from the liberal norm. That said, he got in some good punches on Clinton when her support of the crime bill came up; he’s looking to woo black voters, and the crime bill adversely affected that community. What I will say is that he’s been more agitated this debate, but I’m not sure to what end.

Clare, Sanders is down by about 15 percentage points in our weighted average of New York polls — so how’s he doing tonight? Do you think he’s done anything to shrink that number? (Assuming the polls are right, of course — they could be wrong.)